New Stratasys 3D Printer Incorporates Multiple Colors and Materials

Stratasys has introduced the Objet500 Connex3 Color Multi-Material 3D Printer, able to print in multiple colors and materials in a single run. The printer's triple-jetting technology combines droplets of three base materials to produce parts with multiple combinations of rigid, flexible and transparent color materials as well as color digital materials. That means a user can achieve the characteristics of an assembled part without assembly or painting.

Three color materials — VeroCyan, VeroMagenta and VeroYellow — are used to produce the printer's color palette. A range of PolyJet photopolymer materials are available, including digital materials; rigid; rubber-like; transparent; and high-temperature materials to simulate standard and high-temperature engineering plastics. The Objet500 Connex3 also allows overmolding using Digital ABS materials and introduces new Shore A values for Digital ABS, ranging from A27 to A95. Six palettes for new rubber-like Tango colors (coming later this year) range from opaque to transparent colors in various shore values.

The Objet500 Connex3 boasts a large build envelope, suitable for high-capacity production. Print jobs can run with about 30kg of resin per cycle, and with a resolution as fine as 16 micron layers.